Kapil Rathi, BATS – Start Your Career with Confidence

“What are your opportunities? You’re starting with a clean slate. You haven’t done anything wrong to anyone — yet. Nobody hates you day one. I call it the honeymoon period.”

If you’re starting a new job, have your house in order, literally. Kapil Rathi, vice president of options business strategy with BATS, focused his talk on the all-important moments at the very beginning of a new job or career. While confidence is key in nearly all endeavors, there are some simple steps that, if executed properly, put people in a position to succeed before even completing day one. When it comes to room and board, be fully settled. Don’t have moving logistics, roommates, a child’s schooling opportunities, negotiations with a landlord, a different transit route and the like to contend with. Try to have life’s usual messiness in the rearview mirror, at least temporarily, in order to be able to focus 100 percent on the work. Also, learn as much as possible about your employer. If there are relevant articles, books or white papers to read — read them. If soon-to-be-co-workers are available — meet them for lunch. Rathi firmly believes that setting and accomplishing goals beforehand ensures that walking into that fresh lobby, vestibule or elevator is not intimidating.